Manchester United fans react as club joins social media boycott in the battle against racism
According to the club’s official site, Manchester United will join other Premier League sides in a gesture against racism.
Clubs across the country will observe a social media boycott from 15:00 BST on Friday 30 April to 23:59 BST on Monday 3 May. This is in response to the discriminatory abuse received online by players and others connected to football.
The boycott has been backed and co-ordinated by The FA, Premier League, EFL, FA Women’s Super League, FA Women’s Championship, PFA, LMA, PGMOL, Kick It Out, Women in Football and the FSA.
The boycott also calls for social media companies to do more to eradicate online hate while highlighting the importance of educating people in the ongoing fight against discrimination.
A number of United players, namely Anthony Martial, Fred and Paul Pogba have all fallen prey to such attacks in recent months. The Red Devils also flagged off the ‘SEE RED’ initiative earlier this month to combat such behaviour on social media.
The fact that the blackout takes place during the game against Liverpool has not been lost on some supporters. With more anti-Glazer protests planned for the night, they believe it is just the club once again looking the other way when it comes to the anti-Glazer movement.
We take a look at how United fans reacted to the club’s decision to join the social media boycott.
Fans react as United joins the fight against discrimination
A good decision to try and force positive change. No room for racism.
— Daniel (@UtdDanMUFC) April 24, 2021
I thought you were running away from all the ESL & #GlazersOut noise, but yeah this is good #UnitedAgainstRacism
— MissSerbiana (@Sussie_Q_MUFC) April 24, 2021
Hang you heads in shame!!! There wasn’t a peep from the media team when United joined the ESL. You hung the fans out to dry, your ‘boycott’ is an utter sham and no one believes anything you say or do!
— Dave Wood (@red666s) April 24, 2021
That’s good and everything but #GlazersOut
— JACK🔰 (@jack_MUFC__) April 24, 2021
I fully understand racism’s and stand with united with that, but the glazers trying to use this to shut down the glazers out posts this is there way of doing it. It’s PR front out of glazers business book!
— craig williams (@craigtw91) April 24, 2021
People need to be held accountable on social media in the same way that individuals are held accountable in the real world. Identity checks are needed for all new and existing social media accounts. This will obviously be implemented eventually but why hasn’t it been already?
— Tom Hart (@TomHartMUFC) April 24, 2021
Funny how there is a mega protest next week, against our greedy owners and now there’s a boycott against online media abuse, very conveniently of u ask me 😡😡😡
— Simon C (@SimonC06932185) April 24, 2021
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Last week massive social media ran uprising against the rich by football fans. Next week the rich tell football fans to boycott social media 🤔
— N.Cookie (@NCookie10) April 25, 2021
Impeccable timing.
We need to fix racists not just their social media accounts.
@FlexUTD @KGthaComedian @jaydalyutd @KevinAshford7
— Yudish (@kurtznirvanaz) April 24, 2021
So they are basically telling people to boycott social media JUST when the fans are planning a protest before the liverpool game.
Guys do something!
You already completed a 2 day social media boycott from 11pm last Sunday.
— SFX 🔰 (@UtdSFX) April 24, 2021
